The stump microphone was brought into cricket to give the fans greater insight into what happens on the field.
It gives an insight into certain tactics and player conversations, and can also help match officials discover whether what has been said breaches the code of conduct.
There have been numerous controversies surrounding the stump microphones, such as former Australian captain Michael Clarke saying, “Get ready for a broken f*cking arm”, or David Warner asking Indian opening batsmen Rohit Sharma to “speak English”.
But is it sending the children the wrong message? Are these incidents making up-and-coming cricketers think it’s OK to sledge?
I’m a 16-year-old cricketer, who has recently entered the world of adult cricket, where the sledging and on-field ‘banter’ becomes a part of the game. For some players, it can be an extreme mental challenge and often dampens their experience.
While personal sledges are rare, send-offs are regular, which is perhaps due to the publicity send-offs get at the international level.
Many big names in the cricketing world have spoken about their displeasure with the stump microphones being so loud and easy to hear, with England coach Trevor Bayliss saying, “I don’t think anyone has to listen to what’s being said, I don’t think it’s a good thing for young kids watching.”
Former Australian cricketer Adam Gilchrist said, “The stump mic and similar technologies are now an expected inclusion in sports broadcasts. They need to be carefully monitored by the broadcaster and silenced, as per contractual agreements, in between deliveries.”
But whether the broadcasters obey these contractual agreements is a different question. I also think that often the contacts are followed but we still hear some comments that families and children shouldn’t hear.
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During the fourth Test between Australia and South Africa, there was a segment during the lunch break that involved commentator Mark Nicholas explaining how the broadcast system worked, featuring an interview with ‘Vincent’, the operator of the stump microphones at The Wanderers.
He outlined when he is and isn’t allowed to have the microphone on and available for the viewers to hear.
“I can have it on as the bowler is running in, but as soon as it goes past the batsman and to the wicketkeeper I have to drop it because of the nice little chit-chat between the players,” Vincent explained.
Still, broadcasters occasionally don’t follow the rules and conversations between players are aired to the public. On one particular tour, Gilchrist realised that the broadcaster was not obeying the rules. His solution: “Consistently mention my personal and team sponsors in between balls, giving those brands valuable free air time. This quickly brought about a change in how the broadcaster was operating.”
While the stump microphones may be an important part of sports broadcasting, the exposure they receive during broadcasts needs to be reconsidered to ensure children learn to play the great game the correct way.
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